Sponsored Links

Mini Truckin' Magazine - Best of 2013

MMXIII • Voting Season

By MT Staff, Photography by Ryan Ceshan

Mini Truckin', December 06, 2013

Club of The Year

John Mata Jr.Acrophobia

Part of me wanted to take a tally of features and covers over the year and base my vote off of that, which could've easily gone to either Severed Ties or No Regrets. But instead of making the vote purely black and white, I am voting for Acro because they have made a huge surge throughout the country and up in Canada too. They scored a cover spot with Cory Hussey's Colorado and have had some sweet features roll through our pages over the last year. The club is showing a lot of heart right now, and I'm looking forward to what they bring out next show season.

Chris PasleySevered Ties

This may come as a surprise to some, but credit goes where credit is due and my vote this year goes to Severed Ties. The club has produced tons of quality rides this year with a lot of them being on our covers. They throw multiple shows across the country and clean house when it comes to club participation.

Randy JohnsonNegative Camber

When it comes to this award, I base my choice on several things. The club's appearance at shows, the amount of quality they produce, the general attitude of the members, the press they receive in magazines and on the web, events they are involved in, etc. I choose Negative Camber—they have proven themselves time and time again.

Koapono PatrickAcrophobia

The club I noticed that improved the most this year would be Acro. They've really stepped up in their numbers and quality, as well as getting some features and a cover in this mag.

Sean FrenchSevered Ties

We attend over 15 shows a year and this year there was a club that made a stand at every show we attended. Severed Ties has always brought out the best of the best throughout the years, and it continued in 2013. Also, having the most cover issues in MT this year, we chose ST without a doubt.

*Tie Breaker: We again called upon a respected guest voter to help crown the Winner.

Phil Fowler
Mini Truckin' Contributing Editor Acrophobia

This is a hard decision but it has to be made. I have chosen Acro this year due to the fact that the shows I have attended, there is always a good bunch of Acro trucks supporting the scene. It seems that recently, every time I've opened the mag, I've seen an increase of their trucks in coverage and feature spreads. They have quality rides and the members in the club that I have met are some of the best people out there!

Winner:Acrophobia

Construction Zone of The Year

John Mata Jr.Mike Sturgill's 1969 Ford Bronco

I've been patiently waiting to see Ken Standish's one-of-a-kind Courier to be completed but I have to give Mike Sturgill's Bronco my Construction Zone vote. I just love how low and compact it is. Dear Ken and Mike, thanks for making it tough to be a loyal Chevy guy this year! Sincerely, me.

Chris PasleyKen Standish's 1973 Ford Courier

This is a very unique build that will hopefully be finished. We often see many super cool Construction Zone features that get put on the back burner after their feature. But I really hope this isn't one of them.

Randy JohnsonMike Sturgill's 1969 Ford Bronco

I love newer trucks, but there's just something about vehicles that were built decades ago. The styling was simpler, there were far less techy features, and more importantly—they look sick laid on the ground. Mike killed it with this one. From the timeless billet wheel design, to the engineered suspension, to the handcrafted interior—this pint-size SUV has it all.

Koapono PatrickKen Standish's 1973 Ford Courier

Ken Standish's Courier gets my vote because of the hard road he's encountered with his build. It was on its way to being a sweet little thing until the infamous Joplin tornado had its way with it. Instead of canning it and moving onto a different build, he is pushing forward making it better than it was before.

Sean FrenchMike Sturgill's 1969 Ford Bronco

We have always thought that Broncos look their best lying on the concrete. This one definitely has that "wow" factor. We look forward to seeing this beast finished!

Ernie MaciasMike Sturgill's 1969 Ford Bronco

Yeah, this thing is cool.

Winner:Mike Sturgill's 1969 Ford Bronco

Favorite Modification

John Mata Jr.Cory Hussey's 2005 Chevy Colorado

One of the reasons I love Cory Hussey's Colorado so much is the work he put into displaying the inner workings in the bed. After featuring the truck, I couldn't tell you how many emails from readers I got asking how his IRS setup worked. The independent rear was a cool, curveball mod to throw into a Colorado.

Chris PasleyDustin Seaman's 1988 Chevy Blazer

Now while caddy tails may be cool, they have been done to death and these days don't even count as a mod in my book. Front-end swaps are cool if done correctly, but cool mods don't have to be hand-grafted front clips or one-off wheels. My favorite part of Dustin Seaman's Blazer is a little something that might go unnoticed—the gas filler. Neatly tucked inside behind the rear glass hidden out of view—it's a very cool mod that probably took forever to make but may easily get overlooked.

Randy JohnsonTroy Gudgel's 1994 Chevy S-10

The Camaro bumpers are such subtle mods but they compliment the rest of the truck very well. I've never seen it done before and I'm glad they thought outside the box on this whole truck. So many S-10s have been built and featured over the years, so for one to stand out in a classy way, that says a lot.

Koapono PatrickAndy Brown's 1990 Mazda B2600

The rear hybrid setup on his green Mazda is one of the cooler mods I thought that isn't done very often. Sure, using four 'bags and two hydro cylinders just to lift the rear end isn't exactly necessary but I think it deserves a thumbs up for being creative and different.

Sean FrenchNick Wellington's 1977 Mazda B1600

This Mazda stands out of the crowd for sure. It's not everyday you see a mid-mounted engine in a minitruck!

Ernie MaciasDustin Seaman's 1988 Chevy Blazer

Mod of the year would have to go to my second choice for truck-of-the-year, which is Dustin Seaman's Colorado-clipped Chevy Blazer. The front end and taillights are so well executed that you would think that this is how Chevy should've made it.

Sean FrenchNick Wellington's 1977 Mazda B1600

This Mazda stands out of the crowd for sure. It's not everyday you see a mid-mounted engine in a mini-truck!